Adams County, Nebraska Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Adams County, NE Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around average
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C
Income Below averageLess wealthy than 74% of counties in Nebraska
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D
Education Well below averageBetter educated than 71% of counties in Nebraska
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Adams County | Nebraska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 31,052 | 1,978,686 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 55.1 | 25.6 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.19% | 0.63% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 37.1 | 38.3 | 37.3 |
| Households | 13,076 | 797,835 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Adams County declined by 6.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 31,052 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Adams County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 22.9% of residents. That is 0.1 points above Nebraska as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 7,098 22.9% +0.1 pts
- Millennials 29–44 5,768 18.6% -2.4 pts
- Gen X 45–60 5,799 18.7% +0.3 pts
- Boomers 61–79 5,633 18.1% +1.9 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Nebraska, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 50.8% of the people living in Adams County and men 49.2%.
- Women 50.8% Nebraska 49.9%
- Men 49.2% Nebraska 50.1%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Adams County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Adams County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | Adams County | Nebraska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $68,670 | $76,615 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.81% | 4.27% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.4% | 3.0% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Adams County is about 10% lower than in Nebraska.
Housing
| Metric | Adams County | Nebraska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $117,856 | $175,282 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $857 | $1,071 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 69.7% | 66.5% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Adams County is about 11.5 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $857 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Adams County spend about 25 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 106 hours, about 4.4 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Adams County | Nebraska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 12.7 | 17.0 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 25.4 | 34.0 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 106 | 142 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,275 | $4,390 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 4.6% | 11.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 4,838 | 5,179 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 419 | 691 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Nebraska:
Hooker County (7.4 min), Cherry County (8.0 min), Box Butte County (8.0 min).
Slowest:
Cass County (28.0 min), Banner County (27.2 min), Saunders County (26.9 min).
The average commute time in Adams County is 13 minutes, shorter than the 17 minutes in Nebraska.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Adams County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Adams County | Nebraska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.7% | 30.8% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.28 | 2.42 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Nebraska:
Sarpy County (0.3), Lancaster County (0.3), Douglas County (0.3).
Lowest:
Dakota County (0.2), Colfax County (0.2), Dawson County (0.2).
Health
Adams County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Adams County | Nebraska Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 79.2 | 79.5 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 13.4% | 12.9% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 16.2% | 16.6% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Nebraska:
Wayne County (0.8), Sarpy County (0.8), Lancaster County (0.8).
Lowest:
Thurston County (0.8), Pawnee County (0.8), Dundy County (0.8).
Adams County, NE Compared With Nearby Counties
How Adams County, NE compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams County, NE | 31,052 | $68,670 #1/2 | $117,856 #2/2 | 12.7 min #1/2 |
| Hall County, NE | 62,536 | $68,324 | $243,292 | 13.7 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Adams County, Nebraska.
How big is Adams County, Nebraska by population?
About 31,052 people live in Adams County, Nebraska, in 13,076 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 37.1, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is Adams County, Nebraska mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Adams County, Nebraska has 55 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 64% of the U.S. average of 86.
Is Adams County, Nebraska an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 1.7 times the median household income ($117,856 against $68,670), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $857 a month takes about 15% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Adams County, Nebraska?
Unemployment in Adams County, Nebraska is only 2.4%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
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